Ironing machine



Oct. 3, 1939 H, MCK. MITCHELL IRONING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1937 .//Wenfa/f I f// lll/A lll fill!! y Patented ct. 93, 19,39

UNITED STATES .PATENT- oFFlcE 2,115,086 y momo. moms.

Henry muy nutshell, Glendale,

' Application November 15. masq-1.1 No. 114.5

comme. (01.31149) This invention tricaily operated the household type, wherein a rotary ironing roll and an ironing shoe are supported for relative relates to improvements in elecl movement into and -out of ironing orr pressing.

position upon a stand or like support.

An object of this invention is toprovide an ironing machine of the character described, in which the operating means for effecting relative movement of the shoe and roll and for rotating the roll comprises a simple, inexpensive, compact unit arrang so that access may be readily had thereto for re air or renewal of parts and to provide for a convenient and reliable operation -of the machine. 4 v

Another object of this invention is to provide ,an ironing machine of the character described,

wherein the roll and shoe are relatively moved l this invention, shown in detail in the ing drawing, comprises generally a stand or frame by an electrically loperated prime mover which is independent of the-motor employed for rotating the shoe but arranged to be energized simultaneously therewith, to simplify the control and operation of the machine. v

Another robject of the invention is to provide an ironing machine of the character described, wherein a drive means between the'motor and4 i roll is Anormally inoperative and permits of free rotation of the roll in either direction preliminary to an ironing operation, whereby upon turning ofthe roll the piece to be ironed thereon may be positioned as desired, with respect to the shoe.

. vA further object is to provide an ironing machine of the charactefdescribed, wherein the normally inoperative drive ,-means between the motor and roll includes bodily movable drive elements adapted to be moved by electro-magnetic or other electrically operated means, render the drive means operative to rotate the roll and also move the roll and shoe into pressing position, said electro-magnetic means being operative to maintain the roll and shoe in such position while the' roll is stationary as well as rotating.

I haveshown in the accompanying drawing, a preferred embodiment of my improvements, subject to modification, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the 'spirit of my invention.

-Referring to the drawing: 1 represents a perspective view of an ironing machine constructed in accordance with this invention,

Pig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentaryend elevation of the machine showing in side elevation the control means and the other elements, as

Il when the roll and shoe are in ironing position,

ironing machines. particularly the housing for the control means being broken away and shown in section forvclarlty of 'illustration. e

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the parts as when the machine isin normal or inoperative position. fr.

111g. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of line 4 4 of Fig. 5.

I Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the control means, showing the latter in front eiel vation and the housing therefor in section and broken away.

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram employed. in connection with this invention, l

Fig; 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional l0 view of the spring'loaded pivotal mounting for the ironing shoe.

The embodiment of the machine oi accompany- 20 i supporting a rotary ironing roll! and an ironing shoe 3 for relative movement into and out of operative position. A suitable means l is disposed on the stand I adjacent an end of the` roll for supporting the roll vand controlling and operating the machine. v

In accordance with this invention the ironing roll 2 is provided with the usual'padded ironing surface and is supported from one end by-a shaft 5 extending into a housing 6 so as to-be controlled and operated by the means 4. 'Ihe shoe 3 is oftheusualheatedtype heatedbyanysuitable means, not shown, and is supported on a vstandard I pivoted as at I upon the stand, there being spring means 9 associated with the pivot 8 so that the4 shoe will yield with reference to the roll during the ironing operation. The arrangement of the shoe and roll is such that they are free at one end for the endwi`se insertion of pieces to be ironed and are also substantially free at the other end for the same purpose, it being -noted that the housing i is comparatively small and terminates below the plane of the upper' side of the roll and adjacent ends of the roll and shoe. y 45 The means l for controlling and operating the. machine is designed to produce relative bodily movement .of the shoe'and roll to dispose them in pressing position, and as here shown. moves the roll to the shoe, rather than the shoe to the roll, although if'desired the shoe could be moved to the roll. Accordingly the shaft 5 extends through the slot I 0 in the adjacent side of the housing 6, whereby the roll may be moved bodily towards and'away from the shoe. Thisvshaft is journaled in the ends of an inverted U-shaped bearing bracket II which is pivotally suspended from a shaft I2 extending across the upper side of the housing. A spring I3 mounted upon the shaft I2 engages the bracket II so as to normally hold the roll 2 spaced from the shoe, as shown in Fig. 3. l

Mounted within the housing is an electric motor I4 having suitable gearl reduction means I5 for producing a low speed of the driving pinion I6: thereof. This pinion forms a part ofa drive 'means which is normally inoperative to rotate the roll 2 and which also serves as a drive con-- nectionl between an electrically operated prime mover, such as a solenoid magnet Il, and said roll for the purpose of bodily moving said roll upon energization of said prime mover. This drive means includes an idler gear I8, meshing with the drive pinion I6 and a gear I9 mpunted upon a shaft journaled within the housing. The gear I9 drives a movable pinion 2| which is normally spaced from a similar pinion 22 fixed to the shaft 5. The pinion 2| is supported by a U-shaped lever 23, the free ends of which are pivotally supported by the shaft 20, whereby on moving said lever the pinion 2l, while remaining in mesh with the pinion I9, will be moved into meshing contact with pinion 22, whereby to render the drive means operative. The outer end of the lever 23 has a pin and slot connection 24 with the armature 25 of the solenoid magnet I1 xed within said housing. When the solenoid is energized the armature 25 is moved upwardly and rocks the lever 23 so as to move the gear 2l into contact with the gear 22 and then move both of said gears, the shaft 5 and the roll 2 bodily, whereby the rollv2 will be disposed in substantial contact with or in pressing relationto the shoe 3, as shown in Fig. 2. When the solenoid is deenergized the roll 2, shaft 5 and gear 22 thereon gravitate` to normal position thereof, as shown in Fig. 2, aided by the spring I3, whereas the lever 23, supporting gear 2I and the armature 25 will likewise gravitate to a position rendering the irive means inoperative, as shown in Fig. 3.

The electric circuit and circuit closing means for operating and controlling the motor and the solenoid are arranged so that the motor and solenoid are in series and will be simultaneously energized, but may also be operated independently for a pressing operation with the roll 2 stationary. As shown in Fig. 6, the solenoid II and motor I4 are connected in series by means o f conductors 21, 28, 29 and 30, a two-way switch 3|, conductors 32, parallel connected knee` and hand operated switches 33 andv 34, respectively, and

conductor 35. A conductor 36 extends from conductors y28 and 29 to one of the poles `3'! of the two-way switch 3|. so that said switch 3l may be manipulated to close the circuit for the solenoid while leaving the circuit for the motor opened. It will be seen that the kneeA operated switch 33 is provided with a spring 38 to move it into open position when operating pressure is removed therefrom. The hand operated switch 34 is suitably mounted upon the stand as is the two-way switch 32.

In ironing operations requiring the rotation of the roll 2 the two-way switch 3| is moved to oontact the pole piece 39 and this connects the motor I4 and solenoid in series so that when either of the switches 33 or 34 is closed, said motor and solenoid will be simultaneously operated. When thus operated the solenoid I1 rocks the lever 23 so as to move the gear 2| against the gear 22 and then move both gears bodily, whereby the roll 2 is bodily moved into ironing position with respect to the shoe 3. vInasmuch as the solenoid remains energized the roll 2 will be held in ironing position and upon deenergization of the solenoid, as when either of the switches 33 or 34 is opened, the roll 2 will gravitate into position shown in Fig. 3, spaced from the shoe and pinion 2I which will also gravitate out of meshing engagement with the gear 22. When in this position the roll 2 may be freely turned in either direction to position pieces placed thereon as desired, to facilitate pressing action when the roll is moved into contact with the shoe.

It is now seen that by having a separate electrically operated means for performing the double function of shifting the roll 2 into ironing position and moving the driving gears into operative position to rotate the roll, a positive and reliable operationof the machine is made possible and the operating and control mechanism takes the form of a single, compact unit, access to which may be readily had through a door 40 in the housing 6.

l claim: l

l. An ironing machine comprising a rotary ironing roll, an ironing shoe, means supporting said roll and shoe for relative movement to dispose the same in ironing and non-ironing positions, an electric motor for rotating said roll, normally inoperative drive means between said rcll and motor and including drive members certain of which are respectively carried by the roll and geared to the mot'or and are bodily movable to dispose the roll and shoe in ironing position and to render the drive means operative to rotate the roll and electro-magnetically operated means for bodily moving said drive members into and maintaining the same in operative position.

2. An ironing machine comprising a rotary ironingroll, an ironing shoe, means supporting said roll and sh'oe for movement vof the roll into and out of ironing relation with respect to the shoe, independent electrically operated devices respectively operative for moving into ironing position and rotating the roll, an electrical circuit including said electrically operated devices and circuit control means operable for simultaneously and independenty operating the electrical devices.

3. An ironing machine comprising a rotary ironing roll, an ironing shoe, means supporting said roll and shoe for movement of the roll into and out of engagement with the shoe, an electric motor for rotating saidroll, normally inoperative drive means associated with said roll and motor and including drive members certain of which are respectively mounted on the roll and geared to the motor and are bodily movable into and out of driving engagement with one another andl for moving the roll into engagement with the shoe and electrically operatcd'means for so moving said drive members.

4. An ironing machine comprising a rotary ironing roll, an ironing shoe, means supporting said roll and shoe for movement of the roll into and out of engagement with the shoe, an electric motor for rotating said roll, normally inoperative drive means associated with said roll and .motor and including drive members which are respectively carried by the roll and geared to the motor and normally disengaged but are bodily movable into and out of driving engagement with one another and for moving the roll into engagement with the shoe and electrically operated means for so moving said drive members, and control means selectively operable for simultaneously operating motor.

the motor and said electrical means and operating the electrical means independently oi said 5. An ironing machine comprising a stand, an ironing shoe supported thereon, a rotary ironing roll mounted on the stand for movement into and out of engagement with the shoe, a support on said stand, a bearing movable on the support, a

, shaft xed to one end of said roll and journaled in said bearing, a gear mounted on said shaft, a

leverpivoted on the support, electrically operated means for moving said lever, a gear carried by said lever and adapted to be moved so as to engage and bodily move the shaft carried gear upon movement-of the lever by said electrically operated means, auv electric motor, and a gear train in lpermanent driving connection with said movable gear and motor.

6. An ironing machine comprising a. stand an ironing shoe supported thereon, a rotary ironing roll mounted on the stand for movement into and out oi' engagement with the shoe, a support on said stand, a bearing movable on the support, a shaft ilxed to one end of said roll and journaled in said bearing, a gear mounted on said shaft, a 5

-iever pivoted on the support, electrically operated HENRY McKAY. MITCHELL. 20 

